The Easter dinner was so very good that it filled me right up. I had a little bit of chicken soup, one roll, and a lot of salad. I had a small piece of vanilla cake. I had to go easy on the carbs, the meat, the dairy, and the sugar, especially the sugar. I was only focusing on the salad and less on the other food. After the meal had filled my belly, I took an afternoon nap in my living room. I slept for at least an hour or two. I hear a knock on my front door and it wakes me up. I slowly get out of bed and walk towards the front door. I open the door and it is Linda that just knocked.

“Are you ok, son?” she with worry in her eyes.

I nod and rub my eyes. “Yeah, I think so. Thanks for the Eastah’ dinnah’ that you cook every year, sorry that didn’t enjoy some of the foods besides the salad. I didn’t want to upset you with your cookin’,” I say.

Linda nods with a weak smile. “It’s okay, change always happens,” she says.

“So what day is it today?” I ask.

“It’s still Easter Sunday. You just took an afternoon nap and so did the rest of us. The kids are still napping. I just came over to check on you,” answers Linda.

I look behind Linda and outside the open door. It is still snowing. The sun hasn’t come out yet. I am still feeling very tired but more upset. I walk past Linda and into the snowy front yard. While raising my head, I noticed that there is still no sign of the sun or blue skies. Just dark gray clouds the snow falling from them. I feel like throwing an anger fit, but I calm myself. I turn to Linda and she still has that worried look. I smile and walk up to her.

Linda places her hand on my shoulder. “Are you sure that you’re all right, son?” she asks.

I sigh and nod. “I’m fine Linda. I’m fine,” I say.

“It’s just that you seem a little upset today and usually you don’t act this way on one of your favorite holidays. Sure you like spending time with family around Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the other Holidays, but you’ve never acted this way before on Easter Sunday,” says Linda.

I shake my head. “Don’t worry about me.” And turn away from Linda.

I am still a little upset and Linda knows it.

“Son, what’s bothering you?” asks Linda.

I raise my head back up at the sky. “You know that story you told me and to the othah’ kids about a place called the Rabbit Realm?” I ask.

Linda nods. “Yes, I know. What about it?” she asks.

I just keep staring at the dark grey clouds. “Is it possible that there might have been a reason that you told me that story?” I ask.

Linda quietly chuckles. “Oh son, it was just a story to get you and the other kids to sleep,” answers Linda.

“Do you remembah’ when it was springtime last April or March?” I ask.

Linda nods. “Of course I do,” she answers.

I point at the sky. “So why is the snow not goin’ away? Why hasn’t spring come yet?” I ask.

Linda slowly shakes her head. “I don’t know, maybe because spring is just late. It takes time for many seasons to come. Spring will come eventually. We’ve talked about this before the Easter egg hunt. Sometimes the seasons might be wrong or late. I mean one time it snowed in July when I was little,” answers Linda.

I lower my head back down and turn to Linda. “Or…maybe the Eastah’ Bunny’s is not doin’ his job,” I say.

Linda chuckles again. “What makes you say that? What makes you think that the Easter Bunny is in charge of spring or something? I thought that he only delivers eggs and treats,” asks Linda.

“Tommy said somethin’ about the Eastah’ Bunny bein’ late or somethin’ and I think that he might be right,” I say.

“Son, they’re just kids having a great imagination. It’s just a story,” says Linda.

I doubt what Linda is saying. “But in the story, it says that the Eastah’ Bunny was the king of all of the tribes. He was the one who would hide the eggs and let children find them. The Eastah’ Bunny lives in anothah’ Realm. If that’s true why haven’t there been any egg’s this mornin’ when I woke up? There were eggs last Eastah’. I am still tryin’ to figuah' out who hid them. And there was no snow last Eastah’ or last March,” I say.

I still wasn’t finished. So I pause to think.

Linda interrupts me. “Son!” she snaps. “You’re taking this way too seriously. I told you before, it’s just a story,” she says.

I walk away from Linda and look down at the snow. “But what if the kids are right? What if the Eastah’ Bunny insists doin’ his job or somethin'? Or somethin’ happened to him? Or someone took his place and is not doin’ his job?!” I kick snow.

I don’t expect Linda to answer me, but she does anyway.

“Son, listen to you is self. You’re taking this way too seriously. It’s just a story and don’t you think you’re a little too old to believe in this nonsense?” asks Linda.

I stop kicking the now and gasp. I pant and kneel in the snow. I hug myself and start to shiver in the cold. Linda notices that I am shivering.

She runs up to me. “Son, are you all right?” asks Linda.

I get up from my knees and walk into my side of the duplex. Linda walks in and sees me turning on my TV.

“I betcha it will say snow all week long,” I say.

Linda shakes her head. “Now you’re just being…” she was going to finish.

Then I turn on the TV. A young strapping news reporter is talking live on the TV.

“I am here to announce that there is more news of this terrible storm. Meteorologists are baffled by the storm and they say it might last for at least a week or two, with high blizzards and more to come,” says the reporter.

I turn off the TV and set the remote on the couch. Linda is speechless.

I sit on my couch. “You’re nevah’ too old to believe in impossible things. You said that to me,” I say.

I walk into my room and close my door. I am still a little upset about winter and no spring. I feel like throwing something in anger. I hear a knock on my bedroom door. I walk and open it. Linda and Bryan are standing at my doorframe.

Bryan sighs. “Sit down. We need to tell you something,” he says.

I sit on my bed as I listen to Linda and Bryan.

“You know that we’ve adopted you right?” asks Bryan.

I nod. “Yeah, I know. But what does this has to do with the bad weathah’?” I ask.

“Nothing, we just need to tell you something. Linda just told me that you think that her Rabbit Realm story is true. We found you in Australia on the tide near Kangaroo Island while Linda and I used to run the Spring Foster Care in Australia. Anyway, Linda heard you crying and saw you on a branch raft. I dove in to rescue you. After a few months when no one knew who you were or if you had any parents, we assumed that you were an orphan. So we took you in and made you part of our family,” says Bryan.

I get off of my bed and think about what Bryan just told me. “So you both found me in the watah', and a branch raft?” I ask.

Linda and Bryan nod. “Bryan dived in the water to save you from drowning. If it wasn’t for him then…well, I don’t want to think about it,” says Linda.

Bryan passes me a piece of wood that has my name on it.

“What is this?” I ask.

“It was on the branch raft. It has your name on it,” answers Bryan.

“Who wrote it?” I ask.

“We believe it might have been your birth parents,” answers Linda.

I drop the piece of wood. I rub my forehead. “Wait, wait, wait, wait, and hang on a second here. Who made that tree raft?” I ask.

Bryan lifts his shoulders.

“We don’t know. But it wasn’t good enough to stay afloat,” answers Bryan.

“Wait for a second. You don’t know? I mean it could have been anyone,” I say.

“No one knows. The important thing is that you are safe and that you didn’t drown,” says Bryan.

“Why didn’t you tell me how you found me?” I ask.

Bryan was going to answer but I answer for him. “I know, I know, because you wanted to protect me from the truth. That I am an orphan? I must have come from somewhere, but where?” I say.

I walk out of my room and outside. Bryan and Linda follow me.

“Please don’t go. Running away will not solve anything, besides it is very cold outside.” Linda begs.

I put my hood over my head to keep myself warm. “I’m just goin’ for a walk. Relax. I’ll be back soon,” I say.

“We’ll come with you,” says Bryan.

“Thanks, but no thanks. I need some time alone. I’ll just be across the street in the park,” I say.

I begin to walk on the sidewalk and into the neighborhood. My hands are in my jacket pockets. My head is covered by the hood. My jacket is zipped up to my neck. I walk as I am thinking about the tree raft and the adoption, but mostly about the Easter Bunny.

Nighttime has fallen all over the neighborhood. I am kicking the snow and most of the time I am grunting in anger. I feel so ticked off. I am so sick of the cold snow in April. I just want it to go away. I repeat please stop snowing, over and over again. But the more I think of snow, the more I think about the Easter Bunny. I walk into the park and sit on a bench. It too has snow on it, but I still sit feel like sitting on it. I feel so stressed. I moan very loudly. I put my hands on my head and grunt in anger. I get off the bench and start kicking and shouting.

“If you are real then why don’t you do somethin’ about this bloody weathah’?!” I shout.

I kick the bench and the bench breaks off its hinges. “I know you are real! Why aren’t you doin’ somethin’ about this terrible weathah’?!” I shout even louder.

I notice a rock and I pick it up. It is shaped like an egg. I shake the rock and I feel like I want to explode. I feel like the stories that Linda has told are only lies.

“I know that I’m different,” I sniff. “I like spendin’ outside more than inside, I can make anythin’ with natuah’ items, I can paint eggs fastah’ than anyone ells I know, I can hide eggs in like a few seconds and I feel good when evah’ I eat only vegetables. Mostly charts. Why am I so different? And why hasn’t spring come yet?!” I shout.

I throw the rock into the sky and it falls. I hear glass breaking. I don’t care what I just hit. I keel in the snow and start to feel the urge to sob. Then I hear footsteps behind me. I get up on my legs and turn around to see who is behind me. It is Candy. She must have followed me. She is wearing her pink coat with a hood that is over her head. She seems kind of worried and kind of scared for me.

“Jake, what are you doing?” she asks me.

I pant and wipe the tears off of my face. “Um, just thinkin’ a lot,” I say.

“About your real parents?” asks Candy.

I nod. “Yeah, but mostly about this terrible weathah’,” I answer.

I sigh and hug Candy. She hugs me back. We begin to walk back home. I hold onto Candy’s hand. But before we could leave the park, two car lights turn on. I am kind of hoping that it isn’t the police, but it is. A police officer with a mustache comes out of his police car and holds a small black flashlight. He is chubby and wears a blue police uniform. He is also wearing black gloves.

“I’ve got some calls from the neighbors about a boy shouting and breaking things. Are you the boy?” asked the police.

I do not want to lie in front of a police officer.

“Yes officah’, I am,” I say.

“Did you break anything important?” asks the police officer.

“I don’t think so,” I answer.

The police officer points his flashlight at the front window of his police car. Candy and I noticed that the front window has a hole in it. The police officer opens his right car door and grabs a rock. It is the same rock that I threw that is shaped like an egg.

“Then how do you explain this?” asks the police officer.

I have no words to say, but I know that it is the same rock. And I know that Linda and Bryan would be angry at me.

After the police officer drives us to the police station, he asks me what my parent’s phone numbers are. After I told him that I have adopted parents. He calls them at the Police Station. Candy and I sit on two blue metal chairs at the police station. The police officer is on a black phone and is talking to Linda and Bryan. He tells them everything about what happened. Candy seems worried that I might go to jail. But I do not feel worried at all. Candy notices some quarter machines that have peanut MSMS in them. She wants some, but I have no money. “Can I ask the police for some money?” asks Candy.

I am surprised that she asked that sort of question.

“He’s a police officah’. You can’t ask for any money from a police officah’,” I answer.

The police officer is done talking on the phone with Linda and Bryan on the other line.

“Your father is on his way,” says the police officer.

I feel annoyed after he said, my father. “I told you, mate. He’s ain't my fathah’. I was adopted,” I say.

Candy walks up to the police officer.

“Do you have any candy?” she asks the police officer.

I groan as I slap my head. “Oh crikey,” I whisper.

The police officer gets out some quarters and puts them into the quarter machine that has peanut MNM'S. Seven MNM'S roll out of the machine and onto his hand. The police officer passes the MNM'S into Candy’s hands.

“Enjoy,” says the police officer with a smile.

Candy walks back to me and sits on the metal chair. I feel surprised that the police officer helped Candy get some MNM'S. I know he is a good cop.

I hear a vehicle coming into the driveway near the police station. It might be Bryan. Bryan gets out of the car and walks into the police station. He looks a bit upset at me and I feel upset at myself as well. Bryan begins to talk to the police officer and tries to reason with him.

“I’m so sorry about all this,” says Bryan.

The police officer begins to whisper in Bryan’s ear. “Your son has never done anything like this. He was shouting and broke my car window when he threw a rock. No one got hurt, thank heaven. But he might need to stay here in jail overnight,” he says.

“No!” snaps Bryan. “He didn’t mean what he was doing. You know this kid never meant to break anything!” shouts Bryan.

“I’m sorry. But it's either he pays the two hundred dollars because of my damaged vehicle, or he can go to jail?” asks the police officer.

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Candy and I heard what they are talking about. Candy begins to cry quietly and hugs me. Bryan sighs and rubs his head.

“All right, all right, how about I pay the two hundred dollars fine so he won’t go to jail?” asks Bryan.

I get off of the chair. “Bryan, you need that money for the Fostah’ Care,” I say.

“We have plenty of money that we can spare,” says Bryan.

“I’ll go to jail. I’ll work off the damage. Then you don’t have to pay. It’s just one night and I’ll do community service if that’ll help,” I say.

“No, I’ll pay!” snaps Bryan.

“I’ll pay!” I snap back.

“How?” asks Bryan.

“I’ll find a way! I’ll take a job here!” I say.

“It’s out of the question! I’m paying and that’s final! Now take your little sister and wait for me in the car!” shouts Bryan.

I grunt and walk out of the Police Station. Candy follows me. We both get into the car and wait for Bryan. I still feel angry at myself for breaking the police car. Bryan walks out of the police station, puts his wallet in his back pocket, and sits in the driver’s seat.

While we are driving home, we haven’t said a word to each other along the way. We finally make it home. I get out of the car and into my part of the duplex. I feel even guiltier when I threw that rock at the police car. I am just angry about spring being so late. It is still Easter and nighttime. I do not feel tired at all. Just feel angry for breaking the police’s car window and that Bryan had to pay for the damage. I am thinking about telling Linda, but I don’t know what she’ll think. I mean two hundred dollars to pay a policeman. What will she think?

I do not want to tell her, but I know that Bryan will tell her eventually. After all, they don’t keep any secrets when they are a married couple. Candy is not in my room, she is with the other four boys on the other side of the Foster Care duplex. I have a feeling that she would not want to hang out with a teenager that just broke the law and almost end up being in jail.

I am sitting on my couch and was about to turn on the TV. I wanted to find out more news about the weather. I hear a knock at the front door. I walk to it.

“Who is it?” I ask.

“It is Linda, again. Can I come in?” asks Linda while outside.

I nod and unlock the door to let Linda in. Linda seems a little upset. I wouldn’t be surprised if she is. I mean how many kids get in trouble for breaking the law, or disturbing the peace?

Linda gets to the point. “Why did you break the policeman’s car?” she asks.

I hesitate to answer as I sit on my couch. Linda sits next to me.

“Do you know why?” she asks.

I finally have the guts to answer. “Um…I was…very….um…angry,” I say.

“About what,” asks Linda.

I get off the couch and walk to the window. “You wouldn’t undah’stand,” I say.

“About what?” asks Linda.

I sigh. “It’s…complicated,” I say.

“Nothing is complicated. Just tell me,” says Linda.

I sigh and stare out the window. It starts to snow again.

“I was…angry about the weathah’,” I say.

Linda chuckles. “That’s ridiculous. The weather will change,” she says.

I shake my head. “No. No, it won’t. There’s just somethin’ not right here. Somethin’ is missin’. Spring is missin’. There is supposed to be a rotation cycle of the seasons. Spring was supposed to come last month on March twentieth, but it never came this year. I mean sure the snow had melted last month in March for a while, but it was still very cold and wintah’ came back today, on Eastah’ Sunday,” I say.

Linda gets off the couch and stands next to me.

“Is this still about the Rabbit Realm story?” she asks.

“Yes, it is.” I turn back to Linda. “By the way who told you that story?” I ask.

“You won’t believe me, it’s silly,” answers Linda.

After I heard her words, I know her answer.

“It was him wasn’t it?” I smile.

Linda seems kind of nervous. “Who?” she asks.

“You saw him, didn’t you?” I ask.

Linda stops acting stupid. “All right, all right, please sit down,” she says.

We sit on the couch and Linda starts to explain when she heard the story.

“It was Easter Sunday when I was eight years old. My brother and I were looking for some eggs that were hidden. My parents thought that the neighbors hid them. I found one egg by a bush. I tripped and fell down a hill. I was about to fall off a cliff. I hang on for dear life on a branch, but I couldn’t hold on any longer. Then someone helped me back up. I think it was a tall rabbit. He was going to run away but we just sat and talked for a little bit. He told me about his home Realm. But it was a long time ago. It could have been someone else that told me or saved my life,” says Linda.

I believe her story.

“No. No, it couldn’t have been anyone else. No one else would have made up a story about the Rabbit Realm,” I say.

“Look, it was a long time ago. And the only reason why I told our little orphan kids the story was that I wanted them to have hope and still dream of finding a home. But now we are adopting just like you and Candy,” says Linda.

Linda gets off of my couch and walks to my front door.

“It was just a story. And I heard it a long time ago. Don’t worry about it,” she says to me.

“But Linda, I’ve been thinkin’ about it. What if I am from the Rabbit Realm?” I ask her.

“Jake, come on.” Linda chuckles.

“No, I’m serious. I mean aftah’ my eighteenth birthday I’ve changed,” I say.

“It’s just puberty,” says Linda.

“Linda I’m bein’ serious! Think about it. I hate meat, eggs, and othah’ kinds of food. Except for carrots, radishes, and othah’ vegetables. And I swear I could hear things from the mountains in this neighborhood. And you guys found me in a tree raft? Think about it,” I say.

Linda seems like she doesn’t want to talk about this anymore.

“Jake, get some rest and we’ll talk about it later. But you need to realize what’s myth and is reality,” she says.

Linda walks out the door and closes it. I am still sitting on my couch and was about to go to sleep. I shut my eyes and relax. Then something wakes me up. It is not a sound. It is a light coming from my bedroom. I slowly open my eyes and turn my head to my bedroom. I notice a golden light shining through my cracked open door. I run and close the blinds and lock the front door. I slowly walk into my room. The golden light is still glowing. I enter my bedroom and notice the golden light coming from my clothes drawer. I am a little nervous to open it. But I walk towards the drawer and grab the handle. I sigh and slowly open the drawer.

The Golden Egg that I’ve found in the park is making the golden light in my room. It is glowing like a night light. Only the light is very bright. I don’t want anyone else to see it. I run, close my bedroom door, and lock it. I shut the blinds. I am now alone in my bedroom.

I do not turn on my light, because of the glowing Golden Egg. I grab the Golden Egg and it does not feel warm like I thought it was.

It slips off my hand. “Oops!” and floats in the middle of the room. I smile and have a thought.

“Are you from the Rabbit Realm?” I ask it.

There is no answer or words from the Golden Egg. After I spoke to it, the egg glows brighter. So bright, that I shield my eyes with my hands. The glow slowly fades away and reveals something in my room. I move my hands away from my eyes. There is a map, a golden map of the world. The golden map shines on my wall. It is kind of like a movie projector. I do not know what to do.

I think of a location. “Brazil?” I ask.

The Golden Egg moves to the location of Brazil. And a light yellow path appears from Minnesota to Brazil.

I chuckle. “New York,” I say.

The Golden Egg moves to New York. The yellow path moves to the location of New York. I am thinking about the Rabbit Realm, but I am nervous to say the name because the map might not show me where it is. And it might not be real.

“Okay, please let the stories be true.” I take a deep sigh. “The Rabbit Realm!” I shout.

The egg does not do anything. It does not move. Depression takes over my excitement. I sit on my bed and tears are about to come. I turn away from the golden map.

“Maybe Linda was right. Maybe there is no such thing as the Rabbit Realm.” I say.

I look back at the golden map and the Golden Egg still doesn’t move. I sniff and my voice choked with emotion because I feel disappointed that the story wasn’t true at all.

“I guess this is my home,” I say.

Then the Golden Egg moves. I gasp, get off of my bed, and my smile grows back. “My home!” I shout.

The Golden Egg moves towards the east of Easter Island and stops. The map zooms into the content of Easter Island. It zooms right into the location of Moai statues.

“That is where Linda and Bryan found me? No, I can’t be. They found me in Australia. But why would the Golden Egg point at Eastah’ Island?” I ask.

I walk to my drawer and get out my blue smartphone. I take a picture of the map that leads to the Moai statues on Easter Island. After I took one picture, the golden map sucks back into the Golden Egg like a skinny small tornado. The golden light is gone. The Golden Egg drops on my bed and I quickly pick it up. I stare at the compass in the Golden Egg. One of the letters is glowing. The letter that glows is the letter E. There is a yellow dot on the letter E.

“Somewhere in the East,” I say.

I know it is a long way to Easter Island, let alone to Moai statues. But when I said my home, the Golden Egg moved to Easter Island. I wonder if the Rabbit Realm is on Easter Island or just under it. I have no idea, but I am willing to find out myself.

I pack up a flashlight, the Golden Egg, some extra batteries for my flashlight, some granola bars, some fruit snacks, some rope, and my smartphone. I have a picture of the map that I’ve printed. I pack up another flashlight. I also have passports, IDs, and enough money to go to Easter Island. I’ve saved up my money ever since we moved to Minnesota because I wanted to pay for a vacation to Australia for my family. But I know that this journey has to be my own.

I begin to write a letter to my family.

Dear Linda and Bryan, I have been saving my money to go on a vacation to Australia. But I am going to Easter Island. I was going to invite the whole family, but I need some time for myself. It’s complicated. I didn’t want to tell you guys before, because I knew you would talk me out of it. I don’t have time to explain the weird things in my life. I don’t have the answers yet. I’ll see you soon. And I promise that it will be springtime when I return. Wish me luck. Love Jake Bryan Grant.

I tape the letter on my front door, close it, and walk away. I walk away from my home and into the neighborhood. I am on my way to the airport. As I am walking in the neighborhood, I hear some footsteps behind me. I stop and turn around. There is no one in sight. But I know who it is.

“Candy come on out. I know you’re there,” I say.

Candy is hiding behind a tree. She moves away from the tree. She worries look in her adorable eyes.

I gently shake my head. “Candy, what are you doin’ here?” I ask.

“I read your letter on your front door and wanted to come with you,” answers Candy.

“I reckon that Bryan and Linda don’t know that you’re with me?” I ask.

“I wrote my name on the letter too,” says Candy.

“Candy!” I lower my tone. “I mean, listen, Candy, I have to go alone. You don’t undah'stand,” I say.

“Then tell me,” says Candy.

I sigh with frustration. “Come on I’ll explain it on the way,” I say.

We ride a cab. The cab driver is annoying with his tone-deaf singing. The cab drives us to the airport. I pay the cab driver and we ride on a plane to Easter Island airport. It takes us like seventeen or eighteen hours to get to Easter Island. I assume that Linda or Bryan already read my letter, I hope.

After we made it to Easter Island airport, we ride a tour bus to the location of the Moai statues. After we made it to the Moai statues, we both feel tired from traveling, but I am not going to give up. Not until I find the Rabbit Realm. There is no snow on this island. It feels very warm and green. The sun shines its warmth. A group of people gathers together for a tour. Candy and I hide behind one of the rocks near the Moai statues. The tour finally leaves the Moai statues in their yellow bus. Candy and I both walk around the Moai statues to find anything strange, like an entrance to the Rabbit Realm. Candy sits on the grass and sighs.

“So you think that the Golden Egg will show you the way to the Rabbit Realm?” she asks.

I pull my Golden Egg out of my pocket.

“My home,” I say.

The map pops out of the Golden Egg and it shows Easter Island. The Golden Egg hovers towards the map and points at Moai statues. I look around the island and there is no sign of anything strange or abnormal, at least nothing out of the ordinary.

“I don’t undah'stand. We came here and still, there is no sign of the Rabbit Realm. I hope we didn’t come all this way for nothin’!” I shout.

I grab the Golden Egg and throw it in the middle of the Moai statues with anger. The Golden Egg lands on the ground. I walk away from the Moai statues and sit down. The Golden Egg glows brighter and brighter. Candy notices a golden light in the middle of the Moai statues.

“Jake look!” shouts Candy.

I turn around and watch the Golden Egg glowing on the ground. The Golden Egg levitates in the air and lets out a golden beam right into the ground and in the middle of the Moai statues.

“I knew it! I knew it!” I laugh.

Candy is laughing a swell. “Knew what? We haven’t found anything yet.” she chuckles.

“Don’t you see? This might be the way to the Rabbit Realm. It’s all comin’ back to me,” I say.

“What is?” asks Candy.

“My memories, I’m startin’ to remembah’ the path that I took from the Rabbit Realm. I remembah’ a cave, and a watah’ slide,” I say.

I feel existed. Candy feels the same way. I grab the Golden Egg that is in the air. The golden beam is still shining in the middle of the Moai statues. I look around and I still cannot see anything out of the ordinary. Dark gray clouds begin to cover Easter Island. I get out some granola bars. I hand Candy a granola bar.

“Want one?” I ask.

She nods and grabs the granola bar. The Golden Egg is still shining in the middle of Moai statues. I grunt and hit the Golden Egg. Still, nothing is happening. Rain pours down on us. I hit the Golden Egg again.

“Come on, are you workin’ or not?!” I shout.

I shake it and hit it. Still, the Golden Egg is pointing at the ground in the middle of the Moai statues. I turn the Golden Egg away from the Moai statues and the light disappears. I turn it back to the Moai statues and the light beam comes back. I throw the egg and it hits the ground.

“Come one!” I shout.

Candy picks up the Golden Egg and hits the ground in the middle of the Moai statues. I am starting to feel annoyed as she is hitting the ground.

“Candy, it ain't gonna work,” I say.

Candy continues hitting the ground with the Golden Egg. She will not stop. I sigh and was about to take the Golden Egg away from her. Then I feel something falling on my neck. I rub it off and look at my hand. On my hand are dirt and dust on it. I look up and notice that dirt is crumbling from the statues. I feel a gentle rumbling under my feet. I notice some of the Moai statue's rocks are wiggling a little. Only one thing comes to mind and it is not good.

“Earthquake,” I whisper.

I stop Candy from hitting the ground by grabbing her arm.

“Candy, stop!” I shout.

Candy looks around and notices the Moai statues are shaking. We start to run away from the Moai statues. But by the time we’ve almost made it, a large crack splits under us. Candy falls into the crack. I jump down after her. We fall into a cave. I cover Candy as small rocks and dirt are falling. The earthquake finally stops. All is calm. Candy begins to whimper with fear. We see the exit from the top. I grab my rope out of my backpack so we can climb out of the crack.

The crack closes and blocks the exit and with us underground. We are trapped in this tunnel. Candy turns around and sees a hole in a wall up ahead.

Candy taps my shoulder. “Jake look at the wall!” shouts Candy.

I shoosh at her and turn around. I notice the hole. The Golden Egg is glowing in front of the hole. I pick up the Golden Egg and point it at the hole. It glows brighter and brighter.

“Come on. This might be a way out,” I say.

“But I thought you wanted to find the Rabbit Realm?” asks Candy.

I shake my head. “It just seems pointless to find somethin’ that doesn’t exist,” I answer.

“So you’re giving up? That’s not like you. You’ve always believed Linda’s story, and so did I after you told me.” Candy gently grabs my arm.

“Let’s find the Rabbit Realm and prove to Linda that her story is true,” she says.

I have a feeling she is right. I am the first to crawl into the hole in the wall. Candy is the last. She stays close to me. On the other side of the wall is a tunnel small enough for us to crawl in. I know that the Rabbit Realm is here somewhere. It has to be. Why ells would I find the Golden Egg, and how did get into the park?

I notice a bright light at the end of the tunnel.

“Are we dead?” Candy shakes.

I scoff. “No we aren't dead,” I say.

Candy sighs with relief. We both make it out of the tunnel. I crawl out and help Candy out of the tunnel. I wipe the dirt off of my pants and Candy’s pants. Candy stares at something high on the ceiling. I look up at the ceiling. We are in a huge cave. It is at least a hundred feet high and very wide. The cave looks like a long hallway.

The cave has lots of drawings. The drawings look like tall rabbit warriors.

I touch one of the rabbit drawings. “I know what these are. I know what they are. They are Rabaca’s,” I say.

The Rabaca drawings on the walls look sort of like Indian drawings with spears, bows, arrows, and some kind of wooden armor. I don’t know what the drawings mean, but I wonder if any Rabaca’s look like any of these drawings.

Colorful crystals glowing in the dark. They are on the ceiling. They are glowing in the reflection in the water. I think they are pretty.

“Pretty,” says Candy.

There is a river in the cave. I am wondering how deep it is. I take off my backpack and set it down on the ground. I slowly get into the water and it feels so warm. The water is deep enough to stand in. It is up to my chest. But if Candy goes in the water, it would go over her head. I reach out my arms to Candy.

“Come on, Candy, ride on my back,” I say.

Candy’s eyes are widening. I drop my arms.

“What is it?” I ask.

Candy points at the water. It is glowing with white light. The white light surrounds me in the water.

“Jake.” Candy steps away from the river. “What’s going on?” she asks.

Candy was about to pull me out of the river. I look up at the Rabaca drawings and they are glowing too. I shake my hands at Candy.

“No, don’t come in yet. I think I know what’s goin’ on,” I say.

Candy steps away from the river that I am standing in. She seems a little confused.

“What is it?” she asks me.

“I’m not so sure yet,” I answer.

I am thinking of dunking myself into the river, but I know Candy will worry about me.

“Be right back in a second,” I say.

“What?” she asks.

I raise my hands in front of her. “Trust me, I’m just goin’ to dunk my body,” I say.

“But what’s going to happen to you?” asks Candy.

“Trust me,” I say.

I dunk my whole body underwater and pop out of it with a gasp. The white light from the water sparkles all over my skin like diamonds. It is so bright that I am closing my eyes. Candy shields her eyes with her hands because of the light. The white light all over my body washes off of me. I finally open my eyes. I look around to see if anything is different. Nothing has changed. Candy is chuckling at me.

“What’s so funny?” I ask.

She continues chuckling. “Is this what you look like, a tall rabbit?” asks Candy.

“What?” I was about to rub my head. Then I feel something in my head. It feels like long furry ears. I slowly move my arm down from my head. I look at my hands. They are now rabbit paws with blue-grayish fur all over them. I pull my long ears and they feel and look like rabbit ears. I look down at my reflection in the water. Candy is right. I do look like a tall light blue-gray furry rabbit. My entire furry body is all light blue-gray, except for my jaw, chest, and tummy, which are very light gray.

I still have my human clothes on, but they feel uncomfortable in this rabbit's body. My big rabbit feet just grew out of my shoes and ripped them open. I take my shoes off and throw them onto the ground. I take all of my clothes off and place them on the ground. Candy is in shock. She stares at me as if I am a tall blue-gray rabbit. I am taller than I used to be. I climb out of the river and water is dripping off of my fur. I stare at one of the rabbit warrior drawings.

“I knew it. I’m one of them,” I say.

“One of whom?” asks Candy.

“I am a Rabaca. That is what I call my kind,” I answer.

I chuckle and then laugh out loud. I hop around the cave with joy and excitement. Candy is laughing too because she seems happy that I’m happy. I stop jumping around and pant for breath. A tear comes down my face as my lips are trembling.

“I knew that I was different my whole life. I knew that I wasn’t normal, but not in a bad way. I knew that I was a Rabaca. Okay, so I didn’t know I was a tall Rabaca before. But I knew that I was different. I’m a Rabaca. I knew it!” I raise my arms. “This is my true form!” I shout.

Candy smiles at me and I smile back. I grab my blue jacket and put it on. And put my wet clothes in my backpack. I put my backpack on my back. My jacket feels a lot more comfortable than my other clothes. I am not wearing any pants as I am showing my furry butt, my tail, my belly, my legs, and my feet. I am showing my furry chest as y jacket is not zipped up all the way. I jump into the water and make a splash. I reach out my paws to Candy. Candy looks afraid to go into the water.

“Why aren’t you comin’?” I ask.

“I can’t swim. My parents never taught me how.” Candy shakes.

I grab Candy’s hands.

“Just hang onto my ears and you will be fine,” I say.

Candy still seems kind of scared to go into the water, but she trusts me. She holds onto my paws. I put her on my shoulders. She hangs onto my long rabbit ears. I take the Golden Egg out of my backpack and the golden beam shines toward the river tunnel. I walk in the river and Candy holds onto my rabbit ears very tightly.

“Ow! Not so tight!” I snap.

Candy holds onto my ears not as tightly. We continue walking into the tunnel. It is a long tunnel. The water is swallowing. It goes up to my neck. Candy starts to whimper. I gently shoosh to calm her. There is another bright light at the end of the tunnel. I walk up as fast as I can to the light.

At the end of the tunnel is a water slide. I hear it. I panic and try to grab the walls. I slip and fall into the river. Candy falls in too. I cannot feel the bottom of the river. The water is too high. Candy panics as she is downing and splashes. I swim up to her and she wraps her arms around my neck. The current of the river pulls us towards the water slide.

“Hang on!” I shout.

We fall down the water slide and it takes us to other water slides. Memories of me riding the water slides are coming back to me. I laugh as we continue sliding on the water slides.

“This is the way! This is the way to the Rabbit Realm!” I shout.

The water slide has twists and turns. Candy holds on and tries not to choke me.

The water slide comes to an end. We scream as we fall into a lake. Candy is struggling to get to the surface, but she is drowning again. I, however, thank my Rabaca form, I can swim faster than before. I swim to Candy and help her swim up to the surface. We pop out of the water and gasp for air. We are in an underground lake. It is big as a football stadium. Crystals are shining on the ceiling and the under lake too. It looks so beautiful. We turn around to see the waterfall that we’ve ridden on. Ahead of us is another tunnel. Candy holds on to my rabbit ears as I swim. I hold the Golden Egg as it glows towards the tunnel.